


Under The Sea ((Kamukura X Komaeda One Shot))

by Anuyushi



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-20 22:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21289517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anuyushi/pseuds/Anuyushi
Summary: Far below the sea, beyond where the humans can reach, there's something hidden beneath the waves. Only one human is able to touch those secrets, and perhaps he'll find his other half while he's there.♚[© 2019 | @Anuyushi]♛
Relationships: Kamukura Izuru/Komaeda Nagito
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	Under The Sea ((Kamukura X Komaeda One Shot))

A salted fragrance warms the sky, fills the air with that of infinity.  
It was hushed, yet I couldn't pull my focus off that one sound flooding my ears like the earth roaring at me from afar.  
The lapping water, of course. I knew all about such ordinary things. Such as how the currents were pulled by the moon's gravity, and it was obvious to see the tides were high today.   
Why did the waters wish to beckon for me? It was nothing more than an unconscious ocean. I would have laughed at how absurd it felt if not for it being so painfully unfunny.   
I heard a human voice summoning for me, but I couldn't quite care. Another person requesting my presence, they could wait until I was ready.   
Aside from the tender yet salty scent of the bank breeze, the stronger smell of fish made the nearly pleasant scene pungent.   
Well, the lapping tides could only remain interesting for so long. The moment I flicked my gaze to the fisherman already on board, he waved excitedly, as though he were a child.   
I couldn't suppress an annoyed sigh as I made my way to the small fishing boat and tilted my head, feigning curiosity.   
"Something you require?"  
"The boat is ready to take off," He answered without a moment to even think. "We have a few hours of daylight left but we're going to be out overnight. Remember, you'll get paid forty-five percent of every fish we catch! Perhaps we'll nab a beast." He gleamed, showing off his painfully unkempt teeth.   
I felt bad for anyone unlucky enough to have to kiss that mouth.   
"Beast?"  
The fisherman waved a hand, beckoning me to step aboard before grinning ear to hear. "You must know of the legends, of course. Loch Ness monster, mermaids, Kraken, oh how wonderful it must be to see a hot babe out in the ocean." The man swooned, no longer on this planet.   
I found myself only able to answer in a scoff before looking out to the water.   
"Old sailors had hallucinations." I let myself lean on the railing. "Too much time out on the water, and they perceived seals as girls. Mermaids don't exist. Neither does the Kraken or Lock Ness monster. You paid me to assist you on a fishing trip, so let us get this over with."   
I didn't allow the fisherman a chance to speak before making my way to the anchoring lever.   
The iron tool broke the water's surface, bunking against the side of the boat a couple of times before I was able to hoist it up and incline it against the railing.   
"So serious," The fisherman muttered behind me. "Do you not wish for love?"  
"No." I turned back to see the man staring at me somewhat emotionless. "And even if I did, I would prefer a human, not some myth."  
"So what do you wish for? You've told me little since I hired you." Arms crossed across his chest, he tapped a bony finger. "Young, smart, handsome too. All you've told me is you went to Hope's Peak Academy. Surely the girls there would have flocked around someone like you."  
Amusing how he seemed to be prying into my affairs. When I didn't answer, he chuckled. "Or maybe the boys?"  
"Not at all." Answering such a boring question didn't interest me at all. And it wasn't as though I had much to tell him anyway. "I've told you all I grasp. I can not remember anything else, and other students feared me."  
For a moment, it appeared as though the fisherman's face fell but he didn't respond, leaving me a chance to turn around and lean over the railing. "As you said, there are only a few hours remaining the day. We are wasting time."  
There was a long pause of silence before I heard his footsteps move away from me as he entered the control room.   
The boat roared to life and pulled out of the dock in an almost methodical movement.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

It was so quiet, I could hear my own heartbeat drumming in my ears.  
All around me was just darkness and utter silence. Perhaps I should have been frightened, I lost track of how long I was swimming already, yet I was not.   
I was told to get lost, after all. Who wanted me around anyway? If I died out here, I wouldn't really mind. For the first time though, as I rose my eyes, I could see the stars twinkling from above the surface waves. I had never been so close to the surface before, not when all sjöjungfru[1] people lived in the deepest parts of the ocean.   
Even now, it felt a little difficult to breathe with the difference in water pressure.   
Yet it was... Beautiful to see. Stars... Like lights leading me forward. Never before had I seen so much light in one place.   
I felt so weightless, the current causing me to sway, my hair falling over my face. I pushed it back, running my hands through it for a moment before exhaling.   
Would it really be alright for me to surface?   
Everything I was doing was already enough to be barred from ever returning home. If I wasn't killed on sight, I would be banished for even showing my face again.  
The moonlight shone down onto the water, causing the vial around my neck to sparkle. I wrapped my fist around the glass to cover it quickly before I alerted any predators.   
It was the last of my magic, the last that the sjöjungfru would ever give me, so I wanted to make it last.  
I could still hear everyone's voices in my head. The ones I thought were my friends, whom I accidentally hurt.   
It felt like they were echoing their harsh words over and over again, making it so I could never forget.  
Get lost already!   
Look what you did, how could you?  
Nobody even wants you around, why do you keep trying?  
Even as I swam away, those words followed me, dragging me down.   
But from here, I could see the light of the stars, and the striking moon, beckoning me near. How unfortunate the other sjöjungfru would never see such a wonderful sight.   
When you're born to survive deep water though, it's almost impossible to swim close enough to the sky like this.   
Not unless you were prepared to die, that is.   
Sharks, poisonous creatures, suffocation, the pressure difference on your body, and the Mänsklig. Those were a mere legend of course, but if you swam too far from the city, you could sometimes find their artifacts.   
Maybe... I could see one. Unlikely, of course. Mänsklig[2] were rollator, 'Walkers'. No walker could travel the ocean waters.   
Just as I thought that, a strange shadow covered my vision of the sky. That's... Odd. I was so close to the surface, nothing could be swimming above me, yet it seems like it was.   
Not a moment later, something strange was thrown onto my head, tangling my fingers and svans[3] with a thin and hard to remove object. It wrapped around my body, digging under my scales and pressing so hard against my skin, I thought I was going to be shredded.   
Even as I tried to pull it off, my fingers slipped right through the netting.  
What... What could this be?   
A predator? I was... I was being lifted out of the water!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"It's been three hours and we've intercepted an old boot and a crab." I couldn't stop myself from exhaling, resting my chin in my hand. "This is a misuse of time."  
"It's a good boot." The fisherman stomped up beside me, wearing it on his foot like it wasn't soaking wet and falling apart. "Anyway, I'd say we're rather close to Bermuda right now. But don't worry, we won't die or anything." He pat my back, as though reassuring me.   
I let myself momentarily close my eyes. It wasn't worth replying so such things. I knew my fair share of the spot already, and I also knew we'd be fine if we were careful.   
The fishing net suddenly pulled, tilting the ship enough to make me lose my footing, but only second before I caught myself once more.  
"Oh, we got something big! Start cranking that lever!" The fisherman waved a hand and hurried to grab the net strings.  
How bothersome...  
I made my way over and pulled the lever to bring the net up. Whatever we caught was struggling against the net, which would mean I had to be careful. I could pull the net up all day, but if it pulled too much, the net would break, which would be even more annoying.   
I kept myself slow, and the fisherman's hands stopped the thin net strings from too much strain.   
The net broke the surface, my first eyeful being a large creature with snow-white fins. It fact, it just looked like a massive fin until it- he- rose his head.   
You have to be kidding me.   
"A mermaid! I knew they were real!" The fisherman's giddy laugh filled the air. "Quick quick, pull her up!"  
"You know these things killed men like you in the myths." I shot him a glance but he was no longer listening.   
The net was pulled on deck and he hit the wood, but made not a sound. It looked like he was shaking out of his skin with wide terrified eyes.   
"It's too dark, is she pretty? Is she naked? How long is her hair?" The fisherman quickly stood up straight, "Hold on, I'll get my flashlight!"  
"It's a male." I stopped him. "The word you are looking for is a merman."   
His body was almost unnaturally thin, looking to be malnourished. You would expect a merperson to be thin though, considering they spend their lives constantly swimming. Despite that, it was obvious to see he hadn't eaten in some time.   
"Seriously?" He sighed with annoyance and scratched his neck. "I guess he could still be worth a fortune. Get the crab tank for me, will ya? We need him alive."  
As uninteresting as I found him, it was true we should not let it die, yet he seemed to be okay out of the water for now.   
I turned my back to him, finding not a shred of curiosity in examining the creature further at the moment. Though it was true, I should have been interested in the legendary creature, but it was merely a human and fish combination.   
What more would I learn?  
Below the boat's deck, I found the crab tank the fisherman was looking for, buried beneath a pile of thick rope.   
For half a moment, the thought crossed my mind of bringing the rope along in case he attempted to escape, but that probability was unlikely and not worth the time it would take to tie him up.   
I saw his health for myself, what would he gain in running now? Or, swimming, that is.   
Tossing the bothersome ropes aside, I hooked my fingers under the tank and rose it off the ground. It was a bit of weight, but nothing I couldn't handle. A normal, boring, talentless person couldn't possibly move it on their own.

It was easy enough to pull it on deck, though it was starting to feel useless for a living fish person without water. I could get that part afterwards, at least. 

My gaze returned to him, sitting beneath the moonlight. His silver scales sparkled beneath the skies, as though he were made of pure diamonds. Even among the darkness, I could still see those olive-green eyes watching me in fear, but the merman made no move to escape.   
It seemed to be painfully silent as I made my way over, as if the ocean itself had been frozen in time. Not a wave against the boat, or even the creak of the boat wood. It was quiet enough to hear my own heartbeat. Not a feeling I rather enjoyed. How could I possibly enjoy the reminder that I was alive?  
As I kneeled before the merman, he sat as still as a statue. I allowed myself a chance to gaze upon him carefully, taking in all the features I could.   
Eyes wide, obviously afraid, his cream-colored hair dripping water on the dock in small, meaningless puddles.   
His skin, though a bit more difficult to see in the night, was a bright pale, as though the creature hadn't gotten a drop of sunlight his whole life.   
In all, he appeared boringly colorless, not as interesting as I assumed a mythical creature would be.   
I almost peeled my gaze away until I found something... Almost captivating hanging from around his neck.   
What appeared to be a green vial was quickly hidden from my vision as he wrapped a hand around it.   
What secrets did it hold? I rose my gaze to lock him in eye contact. What was he thinking? His face gave nothing away. Nothing except he was scared and angry.   
"Who are you?" The question left my mouth before my brain could catch up. Something...Of an odd reaction for someone like me. When was the last time I had said something without even thinking about it?  
The merman's gaze flickered, giving away his hesitance before he turned his head to the sight, avoiding my eyes any longer.   
I couldn't help but hum. I couldn't deny I wasn't curious any longer. Did it speak? Did it think?   
"That vial there, what is it?" I attempted giving a nod to calm him down but again, I was met with mere silence.   
A short, chilling breeze washed over the boat, causing his fluffy, and soaking hair, so sway every so gently. It seemed like that was the only thing telling me he wasn't a statue just then.   
Until he shivered, that is. If I looked carefully, I could see goosebumps crawling across his skin. Of course he would be cold. Though there was nothing I could give him to fix that.   
The tank would keep him warm, but I couldn't lift him while still being entangled in the fishing net.   
I reached down to pull it off but before I could even go near, he flinched, sprinkling small water droplets as he grabbed my hand. A touch so soft, no human could have shared such a thing...  
"I do not intend to hurt you," I attempted to reassure. "Let me remove this web."  
The merman looked down to the fishing net entangling him and appeared untrusting for a moment before until my wrist was released from his hold.   
For being a fish out of the water, he smelled rather sweet. A smell I picked up as I was reaching down. Almost like... Lilacs. As gently as I could, I allowed the net to slowly pull out of under his scales, which now appeared damaged. How delicate were these?  
Without giving it much thought, I allowed myself to brush my fingers down his tail. The merman shivered, but he didn't flinch away. I could only wonder if it felt nice after the pain the net was causing.   
I smoothed down as many as I could before moving on, unraveling the net from around his fingers and hair, which had tangled around it and would have been painful had I decided to pull instead.   
When I had completed my task, I kneeled before the merman again, who looked much calmer this time around.   
"Do you have a name?" I decided to question first.   
His green eyes wavered. As he blinked, his long lashes became more visible, adding on to his strange beauty.   
"Nagito Ko...Komaeda," He whispered aloud. "Gör du?" [4]  
A second language? Though it was rather sudden, I could count myself lucky for being able to understand it.   
Could he be speaking this language from the national origins of mermaids?  
"Du vill veta mitt namn?" [5]  
A small gasp escaped his lips once I spoke in the same language. For a second, I could see a smile crack his lips.   
"Mannen förstår."[6] He released a gentle laugh.   
"My name is Kamukura Izuru." I offered my hand though he still seemed too hesitant to take it yet.  
I gave a soft exhale and looked down to his long tail. His end fin appeared gently curved, though slightly damaged. Not enough to hinder swimming, but the small cuts around the shark-like tail could have been extremely painful.   
It wouldn't be wise to put my hands near it at the moment. Not without him trusting me more. "Do I frighten you?" I kept my voice quiet, enough so only he could hear. Although this... Komaeda... Tried to hide it, it was impossible for me to not see the meek wavering in his weak eyes. I could see my own reflection in them, I could see what he saw. My scarlet eyes staring him down without an ounce of emotion to show for it, and my long, midnight hair, making me appear beastly to the normal human. That was most certainly the case with the students of Hope's Peak.   
They tried to hide their fear too, but... Useless.   
"I don't fear the dark." Komaeda suddenly murmured, nearly catching me off guard. So he could speak English, which was convenient. "I'm not scared, not at all," He forced a smile, as if he were a child pretending to have fun at a bingo game. "Inte ens av döden." [7]  
Without warning, he reached out a hand, fingers long and ghostly pale. I didn't find worth in stopping him before he placed his hand against my cheek. It was oddly comforting and familiar. So strange... For me to feel this way.   
Komaeda released a soft exhale before he pushed himself up from the boat railing, bringing himself closer, and lowering his voice to an usher, even quieter than the wind's ominous whispers, "Jag måste bara skydda det," [8] He softly bit at his lips before falling back against the railing. I could still feel the soft touch against my cheek as he pulled back, and gestured to the strange object hanging around his neck. Suddenly, Komaeda groaned and clutched his head in pain. "Förlorare, Förlorare." [9]  
It took me a moment to realize they were not drops of water rolling down his face, but instead tears. There would be no point in calming him down at the moment. Whatever was troubling this creature, he needed to release it.  
"I never do anything right," His shoulders shook with sobs, "Loser, scum, garbage, I couldn't even protect it. I couldn't even protect myself. What hope is there to find anymore?"  
Out of curiosity, while he was busy, I felt the desire to reach out and touch the strange vial hanging from his neck. It instantly felt warm, almost tingly, as if it were alive.   
I was proficient in much knowledge, most of it forced into my mind, yet no knowledge I possessed told me what such a thing could be. I only had the opportunity to touch it for a few seconds before my hand was being pushed away from it and I caught the eye contact of furious green irises.   
"Not for mänsklig," The dark look lasted for mere moments before he exhaled, dropping his arm to his side. "But it doesn't really matter anyway." I found myself unable to pull my gaze away from his oddly creepy smile. "Steal it if you want, I can't stop you. I have the last of it, so if it gets into the hands of a human, imagine the horrible despair they'll all feel. Like that, their hope of overcoming it will have to shine." He was abruptly cut off by a dry cough, painful enough to clench his fists, and cause his knuckles to turn even whiter. Was it sick?   
When he had finished his bout of coughing, Komaeda looked back up, not a fragment of fear wavering within his gaze. "I've never met a human before, you're not supposed to exist."  
"I could assume the equivalent about mermaids." I didn't give it much thought when I reached down and brushed my hand across his tail. It didn't quite feel like a normal fish fin at all. More similar to seals, actually. "You are injured here." I gave a small nod to the curvature in the fin before looking back up. He had tensed up once I began to touch him but didn't say a word to stop me. Instead, he tilt his head. "I did it to myself. I... Made a horrible mistake, I shouldn't be allowed to survive after it."  
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, but he turned away from me.  
"Fara, I can't tell." [10]  
Annoying... It was getting dull attempting to speak with something not even human. I would need to get him to the tank before he dried out, but the moment I made a move to put my hands under Komaeda and pick him up, he quickly grabbed my arm, instant terror flashing across his face.   
"No, please don't trap me in there, I've hurt them enough! Just kill me instead, and throw my body back into the water, but please don't show me to the other humans!"  
I didn't need to speak my curious questions for him to continue, "I destroyed the last of their magic. I'm holding the remaining of it here." He placed a hand over the vial, "They have no defenses anymore. If the humans find me, they're going to start hunting for the rest of them. Please, the humans will kill them for studies, or trap them in shameful cages. They just want to be free. Just take me, chop me up and eat me if you want." Komaeda began pulling my arm, in which I could only rip myself away from his hold. He began coughing again, and shook his head again as though erasing it. At that moment, his eyes were dull and tired. Not of dehydration, it didn't take such little time to dry out such a large, living sea creature. What could be causing it? That has yet to be seen.   
"See, I'm already dying anyway," He choked his words back. "I don't mind dying, especially if you're the last one I see. For a human, you're really pretty."  
A strange feeling fell on me, as though I was suddenly hit by a pile of bricks. The feeling hurt, and I had no name for it. When was the last time I had heard someone call me that? Well, never would be exact. "What is wrong?" I changed the topic to a more pressing matter. "Why are you ill?"  
The albino merman paused on my words, opening his mouth ever so lightly as if he hung himself on them before releasing a small exhale,   
"The... Pressure. We live deeper than any other animal can survive. I... I swam up, the change in pressure on my body must be-" He didn't have to finish as he wrapped an arm around his stomach. I had already realized the moment he explained how far below they lived. Of course, the pressure change would have an effect on the body. Air was light, and the bottom of the ocean is deep and dense. It would drag them down, but being at the surface would cause breathing issues quickly, and could even damage the organs.   
I didn't know the creature well, but I didn't have any interest in it dying.   
"That's easily resolved then." I pulled myself back to my feet, "Take you back."  
"No-!" Komaeda jumped, as though he forgot for a moment that he didn't have legs. "Didn't you hear what I told you? I destroyed their magic. They'll kill me!"  
"I thought you weren't afraid to die." I reached out, carefully brushing my fingers through his wild hair. I found myself unable to help it. The drier his hair became, the more he looked like a little fluffy dandelion. Komaeda seemed to relax before his eyes flicked away.   
"I... Of course, I'm scared to die. Dying a meaningless, hopeless death is terrifying. I'd rather you kill me, so I can at least die protecting the last of their magic."  
If I could feel emotions, maybe I'd be chuckling to myself at that moment, How ridiculous his words. As carefully as I could, I rose the vial off his neck, the merman not stopping me for even a moment. So he wasn't lying after all then. His words and actions contracted themselves, but that was nature, was it not?   
Not even merfolk could evade the piece of them that harbored that human nature of uncertainty.   
Clutching the vial, I carefully tucked my hands beneath Komaeda once more. He shivered in fear, but allowed me to be close this time before I sat him on the railing.   
"I will join you in a moment. Do not swim away." At my order, he nodded quickly.   
"I- I promise. I'll wait for you under the water." Keeping his movements agile, Komaeda closed his olive eyes and fell backwards, diving into the ocean waves and vanishing into the darkness.   
For half a moment, I thought about that fisherman. As odd as he was, I never intended to betray him. Perhaps he would one day find another mermaid to show off.   
I was not capable of emotions such as worry, or regret, or fear. They were below me, though I wouldn't admit that I was feeling anxiety upon doing what I was planning to do.   
Clutching the vial in hand, I opened it, quickly smelling the thick, unappetizing scent. I didn't have a clue on how magic worked, so I could only hope I was doing the right thing.   
I brought the vial to my lips, taking a long swig before my tongue had a chance to taste it. I almost immediately started feeling the painful effects and as quick as I could, lowered the vial around my neck before I had to double over in pain.   
For it to be hurting someone like me... I could only wonder if I made a mistake.   
My entire body felt hot, then cold. I couldn't seem to focus my vision, as if whatever was in that vial was ripping away my eyesight with every painful second.   
I felt the need to vomit, yet my stomach tightened and I nearly lost my footing. In an attempt to grab the handrail, I missed and my arm hit against the wood. It was sore for only a moment before I allowed myself to crawl back to my feet. I almost thought the pain was going to be manageable before a wave slammed against the boat.   
The last thing I could recall was the force of my body hitting the water with a thunderous crash.   
Those dreaded whispers, wrapping around my neck, choking me from the inside out. Their eyes peering like daggers against my back, with their snide glares.   
Caring about such gossip is trivial, let them speak what they will, but those eyes were something I could not escape.   
They stared at me as though I were a monster.   
I could not bring myself to look at my class, not with their disgusted scowls, and snappy tones. They despised me more than anyone, because I took his body.   
I did not even remember his name, nor his face. His mind was now mine, with only my memories. I did not have a choice, but they erased him, so I could be born.   
But for the people that knew him, I killed him. I killed him and stole his body. In their minds, I shouldn't even exist, or I should have just dropped dead.   
What did it feel like to only be alive for a few weeks, and already beg to cease existence?  
I most certainly did not beg for it, of course, I was rather content with my life. I had a heartbeat, so I could be alive.   
Despite that, something still troubled the back of my mind.   
Some eyes were angry, some were disgusted, and yet, some were fearful. I did not desire to hurt any of them. What use would hurting any of them be? It would only cause meaningless trouble, and they deserved their heartbeat, just as I did.   
Yet the way most of the students stared at me, it was as though they watched, and were waiting for the exact moment I would kill another.   
I must have found myself spacing off, because the next thing I knew, my hair was being pulled rather painfully so.   
"You have pretty long hair for a boy!" A student laughed, "Don't tell me you're going to crawl out of a TV?"  
Another sharp tug from my other side.  
"Please, you could use this as a mop. If he's so good at everything, surely he'll be perfect for that!"  
"Let's find out."  
I didn't stop them, not as they pulled my hair, or as my lunch tray was being picked up and thrown against my head. I felt the goop rolling down my skin, and the annoying stickiness of food now in my hair.   
"He looks so much better now!" A new student burst into laughter from nearby.   
"He thinks he's all that, being the Ultimate Hope. He's just another disgusting freak."  
Their words... Useless.   
"Have you ever seen someone actually have awful red eyes? Only villains do."  
Their logic evaded me. I did not understand why they would bother their attention with me. I never uttered a word to them.  
"And his horrible face! He's as emotionless as a zombie. It's scary!"  
"Freak!"  
"Monster!"  
"Villain!"  
"Disgusting!"  
"He's really just better off dead."

"Kamukura?"  
As I shot open my eyes, they were met with those olive green ones. A smile was directed towards me.   
"I'm so happy you're okay, I couldn't have imagined the despair of seeing you hurt!" Suddenly, his arms were tight around me, holding me as if I were something of a close friend.   
Not even I could resist merely jolting upon feeling his tail brush against me. It was something strange when underwater.   
Yes... Underwater. I didn't need to take in my surroundings like an anime protagonist to know I was beneath the waves. I could tell from the fact that Komaeda's hair was swaying in the waves, and he was moving like a feather when he swam. Obviously, it was also dark, but not dark enough that I couldn't see the sand particles of the ground below become unsettled and float up.  
My plan must have worked though because I seemed to be breathing alright.   
"You're clingy for not trusting me twenty minutes ago." My complaints had little effect on the merman clinging to me with joy.   
"You're the first person to ever show me kindness. I don't even care you're a human. En blomma now." [11]  
As he held me tighter I couldn't resist the correlation between us. It was an... Odd comparison, yet-  
"Well, you're not human anymore," With that, Komaeda brushed his tail against my own before releasing me. "But why did you do that? You had no reason for it!"  
Seeing that I could now move freely, I pushed myself off the ocean floor. There wasn't much to see, merely sand floating around me, and darkness beyond every direction. For a moment, I thought I could see an eel out of the corner of my eyes, only to take a second look at my own hair floating around me as if I were wearing a cloak.   
"What is it?" Komaeda ushered after a long, drawn-out moment of silence.   
It was eluding me how he did not think how the others did. How could such a creature look at me and not imagine me to be evil? Those soft eyes were only watching me in worry, it was the first time I had to look away from anyone.   
With a gentle swish of his tail, the merman rested himself to a seat beside me and cocked his head with interest. What use would it bring to confide in someone who barely had the confidence of an old tire?   
I felt the cold water pricking upon my skin, bringing my attention back to myself. I would finally have to look at what that vial had done to me, would I not?   
There would be no point in delaying such a thing. The vial itself still sat around my neck, unaffected in the slightest. Yet the... Annoyingly expensive clothes I was wearing were nowhere to be found. That was to be expected when you didn't have legs to wear them I suppose. Speaking of which, looking at my tail seemed unreal.   
No matter how long I locked my eyes onto it, I couldn't seem to imagine it being part of me. As dark as the night sky it was, and covered in large red spots, as though nature itself were labeling me as dangerous.   
"It's soft..." The muttering of the boy beside me knocked my thoughts off track. I didn't feel it, but upon giving a quick glance to my side, I could see his hands weaving through my hair, a small simper on his face. "Really pretty too."  
At that, I could only scoff before pushing myself off the ground. More sand became upturned as my new tail brushed the ground, surrounding us in the suffocating grains but it was not even worth my attention.   
"About as pretty as a heap of debris. Remain focused, I simply trailed you down here to repair what havoc you caused. What transpired anyhow?"  
I felt... Heavy while swimming, yet extremely light.   
Before Komaeda could answer, he began coughing once more. Dark bags had already formed under his eyes, and before I knew it, blood was floating in the water, escaping his sickly self.   
Damn it...  
"Can you make it?" I attended over his thin, poorly taken care of body. Hair looking like living whipped cream, and his tail could have been mistaken for a diamond with how the color resembled.   
"I'm not sure. I can barely breathe." He closed his eyes, shoulders shaking as he attempted to not tear up. "I was supposed to die at the surface but... I don't think I want to die in such despair. Please don't let me die yet."  
The annoyance that had begun to bubble in my gut started melting away after seeing how truly pathetic the poor creature was. Nothing more could be done at the moment, I would have to carry him.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Could this be drowning? I never felt such a thing before.   
All of this... It wasn't meant to...  
What was I supposed to think about it all?  
Mänsklig weren't supposed to exist, or be able to travel atop the ocean like whales. Yet I could feel the tight hold this one had over me. Both physically, and emotionally. A mänsklig that drank my magic, and became one of us, such a case has never happened before. Yet when I saw him lying atop the sand after he changed, he had seemed... Perfect. Like he belonged.  
Dark hair that circled around his body like a shadow, and skin that felt the sun's warm kiss.   
His tail seemed like a bloody midnight, black as the deepest pit, with scarlet stripes like wounds.   
I couldn't seem to focus, my chest hurt as though a hundred pounds had dropped on it, yet I could still feel his arms holding me. He was so warm. I could feel that even in the icy waters. It wasn't fair he had to carry me, I had decided to swim to the surface, knowing my body wasn't built for it.   
It was my fault Izuru drank that magic, and it was my fault I had to be carried. As always, I was so utterly worthless.   
I couldn't even muster the energy to move my tail and help.   
I found myself losing track of time, and fading in and out of consciousness. When my lungs tightened and I felt the need to cough, I found that I didn't even have the energy to do that. Yet I could still feel it in the back of my throat, the choking feeling of blood.   
I smelled the blood before I could hazily see it rising up from myself. The irony scent mixed with the thick ocean water, carrying it away. If I could smell it, I'm sure other creatures could too.   
We weren't far enough down to avoid creatures such as sharks yet, and that realization hit fast, but not as quick as the creature slamming against us. I couldn't see it, but the large creature must have smelled the blood and rammed into us to stun our balance.   
It couldn't have been far away if it found us with just a little of my blood.   
No matter what I did, I was always causing trouble for this mänsklig. I couldn't even apologize in my state. I could barely speak, even if my mind was almost clear. Almost. It was difficult to focus and form solid thought but at least I was conscious and understood what was happening.   
And I could feel how his arms slipped away, and the water pulling me down to the sandy ground. I tried to reach out, and attempted to swim, but it was as though my body would no longer listen. I didn't want to pass out, not now, not yet, I couldn't just leave him to face something so dangerous alone. It's not fair! Why was my body forcing me into the darkness now...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Of course, something like this would happen. After the amount of blood it- He- had been coughing up, something was bound to smell it eventually.   
As the creature swam around, it circled us, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I sought to gaze into its eyes, to see what it felt, what it thought, but I could see nothing but absent black orbs.   
Hammerhead, about fifteen years old based on the size. On average, they could live for thirty years, and up to fifty years. This was no baby and while it may not have been a great white or tiger shark, it was still plenty dangerous.   
But how would I fight it off?   
My body was heavy, I wasn't used to the tail in place of my legs. No weapons, not fast, and alone.   
Without warning, the shark struck its tail against the waves and ripped through the water. Like a rocket, it was charging, but not at me.   
The thin form of Komaeda's body lying on the ground caught the shark's attention more.   
Of course, he couldn't fight back. Easy prey.  
It seemed like instinct to reach out, to protect him, and suddenly...  
Light.  
A force of light from nowhere thrusting against the waves and I nearly felt like falling. For less than a moment, the light was strong enough to drive back the water into an empty pocket of air.   
Everything seemed to slow, from the blast of light to the shark being launched away, and myself being shoved back from the force...  
And all at once, it was rushing back, the water crashing against me and throwing me off stability.   
I was agile enough to right myself back up in the waves but the shark was swimming as though intoxicated. It took but a minute for the creature to return to its senses before it looked at me with such cold orbs of coal-colored eyes.   
What was flowing through its mind? Did it want to hurt me? To kill me? Whatever I did most certainly snapped its attention away from the unconscious creature and onto myself.   
With its arrowheaded teeth bared, the shark lunged in my direction. What had I done? Could I do it again?   
I raised my hand, but what did I want to do? I wanted that light to return, but nothing happened.   
It was swimming closer, faster, it's tail fin cutting through the water and the predator ready to strike.   
Damn it, why wasn't it working?  
"Disgusting."  
"What a freak."  
"Narcissist."

"He's scaring me!"  
"What's with his eyes?"  
"And that hair!"  
....  
"It's soft... And really pretty too..."  
Why did those statements echo around me? What seemed to be so significant about Komaeda's words?   
What use were kind expressions against someone like me? I know who I am. I know what I am. I was no human, just a mere monster created for other's benefits. My skills, my strengths, not even my body was my own. Pretty?  
Pathetic, really, to call a monster pretty.   
Yet... Perhaps I want to protect him.   
This... Nagito Komaeda, I wanted him around. It was an odd feeling. It was odd to feel any emotions at all, but I was okay with this one.   
Yes, I wanted to protect him with this strange light.   
As the thought struck a chord in my mind, the shark was already before me, only milliseconds from ripping into my skin. But his teeth made no contact. The predator bit down, it pulled against me, but I felt nothing, I had no blood, it had no hold.   
Could this be caused by drinking that magic?   
No use contemplating it. I twisted my body, causing the shark to lose grip and fall. As my skin fell under the moonlight reflecting through the water, a gentle twinkle caught my eyes, momentarily switching my attention off the shark to give me a chance to look down at myself.   
My entire body, from every strand of my hair, to the very tip of my new tail, it was coated in the glowing blue of a shield.   
How convenient.   
But this shark, how annoyingly persistent. It had already balanced itself once more. Instead of attacking, it began circling around, the body curving almost beautifully. Perhaps it was getting smarter about attacking, but I didn't have the time to bother with this animal.   
Raising my hand once more, I allowed the strange feeling towards Komaeda to flood my chest, and light exploded once more. As quick as it shot out, I too was prepared just as fast. My new bodyweight was something to be thankful for this time and as the pressure attempted to push me back, I held myself steady while swimming in place.   
I found myself blinded, unable to see anything inches away from my face. Not that I would want to, watching the light was more painful than looking at the sun. When it died down once more, the shark was a good distance away.   
I found eye contact with the creature, the coal-black orbs staring me down, and I too, returned the stern gaze.   
The animal seemed to have had enough because as a few seconds passed, the hammerhead turned away and began swimming into the dark waves of the ocean.   
For the first time since perhaps I had been awakened, I found a sense of relief but was short-lived when my gaze flicked to Komaeda lying among the dirt. I had lost my hold when the shark had hit us and dropped him. As I swam closer, he didn't appear injured at least. The lack of gravity in the fall was something to find comfort in, but he still didn't look well in the insufficient water pressure.   
I could almost feel it as well. The lack of deeper waters nearly made me want to vomit. I could feel my lungs trembling with each breath, and my stomach didn't even feel appended to the rest of my body.   
Though unsteady, I could keep moving for now. I just had to swim deep enough to stop these sickening effects, and perhaps find my way from there.   
As gently as I could, I slid an arm under him, and another to pull him up. Komaeda's green eyes flickered, as though he were trying to wake up, but still found himself out of commission.   
Strands of his white hair tickled my nose as I swam, but it wasn't much of a bother. His head lulled against my arm and he exhaled ever so softly.   
Just... Had to keep moving, yes?  
I didn't have time to react before a shadow fell over us. The moment I turned around, the last thing I could see was the dark eyes of the hammerhead.   
...  
.....  
......  
Voices?  
I could most definitely hear voices.   
They seemed distant, but I could make out some of their words.   
"Vi har inget val." [12]  
I tried to open my eyes, but it was bright.   
"Han har det sista av det." [13]  
No, I had to wake up. What happened?  
"Och vad med den andra?" [14]  
I inhaled, feeling significantly less pain when breathing than before.   
As I opened my eyes, I could see a ceiling, and a warm light flooding whatever room I was in. I tried to push myself up, but I couldn't move. I was able to turn my head to the thin body lying beside me. Komaeda holding my arm tightly, with his eyes distant and soft. I could feel his tail wrapped around mine, preventing me from moving.   
I'm not sure I particularly minded but I was rather curious of the voices speaking on the other side of the door.   
As I shifted, Komaeda completely opened his eyes and locked eye contact with myself.   
Perhaps it was moments, or minutes, I couldn't be sure. But eventually, he rose his free hand and allowed his fingertips to graze my face.  
"Your eyes... They're so... Amazing."   
A twinkle of joy sparkled in Komaeda, but I couldn't see why.   
"What brings you to find beauty in a monster?" I kept my voice to a whisper, in case the strange voices belonged to enemies.   
There was a small pause of hesitation in Komaeda before he smiled.   
"Because you give me hope. In fact, you're really beautiful."   
How odd... I allowed my own tail to curl around his as well and released an exhale.   
"You confuse me. I hardly know you, how could I bring you something as boring as hope?"  
Suddenly he pulled himself up, his hands falling on either side of my head while he loomed above.   
"How couldn't I?" He cocked his head with a hint of curiosity. "It feels like I've known you forever. In the short time I've been around you, you've shown me nothing but kindness. Nobody has ever..." He looked away quickly, avoiding looking at me. "Done... That for me. I'm always messing everything up, I couldn't even help you, or say thank you as you were carrying me. This whole situation is because of me and my lack of ability to-"  
Self-deprecation? He has a rather low self-esteem, doesn't he?  
Without thinking, I reached up and pressed a finger against his lips to keep him from talking. "It was my choice to do what I did." I began, "We are more alike than you think. I would find myself harassed by those around me, because I scared them. They called me horrid names and mocked my eyes and hair. But you..." I narrowed my eyelids, suddenly unable to find my words. When I lowered my hand away, Komaeda softly smiled.   
Suddenly he brushed his fingers through my hair and rose one of my dark locks. I didn't stop him as he brought it close to himself and placed a kiss upon my hair.   
What was this? I felt my heart lurch seeing him show such... Care towards me. Towards the same hair they had pulled and dirtied and teased, he wanted to kiss.   
I pushed myself to a sit and met his gaze.   
Tightening my tail around his, I leaned in close, not bothering to ask permission before stealing a kiss on those lips.   
He didn't taste like anything but saltwater, but I still found pleasure in the simple kiss anyway. I could sense him tense, but he didn't back away. I felt his tailfin brush against me and a small squeak escaping the back of his throat rang in my ears.   
Finally, Komaeda broke the kiss and without looking at me again, quickly hid his face in my chest. Oh, of course, I had forgotten I had stronger lungs than average.  
Suddenly the rounded door opened and strange mermaids swam into the room. The girls all looked stern, wearing helmets and bearing weapons.   
Komaeda quickly looked back. With him pressed against me, I could feel the small movements he made, which included the jump in his heart rate.   
"You're awake." One of the girls hissed, "How dare you swim to the surface?" She flicked her fin with fury, "You could have destroyed us all!"  
"Calm down." Another mermaid cooed before turning to us. "We were ordered to track you down to retrieve your magic, but it appears a mänsklig got it first. We didn't have a choice in bringing you back. But Nagito Komaeda, you have committed a serious crime. What's say in your defense?" She rose her spear, pointing to the bed we lay on.  
The other mermaids followed suit with their weapons towards us.   
"Not only did you swim to the surface, but you destroyed the last of our magic and exposed yourself to a human."  
"Could just kill them here." Another mermaid suggested with a shrug.   
I could feel him shivering with fear and wrapped an arm around his back, holding him close.   
"No point," Another mermaid clicked her tongue and sighed. "We saved them from that damn shark already. It would have been a waste of energy if we just killed them now. Plus..." She locked eyes with me, and I found myself looking into sharp pink orbs, looking me down with intensity. "You have an ability, don't you?" She adjusted grip on her spear. "Go on, show it. I saw you do it."  
So these were the other merpeople? I expected a little hostility but they appeared ready to stab me twenty times over.   
"I can't do it on command it seems." I rose an eyebrow, unable to hide my curiosity. That light must have been what they were talking about, correct?  
The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to suffocate.   
"Let's make a deal." The mermaid finally smiled, being the first to lower her spear. "You see, that boy you have there is wanted for treason. He destroyed the last of our magic and exposed his existence to a human. By all means, we should kill him, but you seem rather fond of him, yes?"  
I didn't find interest in responding to a rhetorical question and merely squeezed him tighter, allowing the girl to continue, which she did without me asking.   
"Well, no merman or maid has ever been able to use magic without a vial. You are able to create magic with no bounds, from seemingly nowhere. An ability granted by consuming it, yes?" She straightened her stance to appear more formal. "We never even thought about drinking magic before, but we can't really do that now considering all of it is gone. If you refuel our magic and stay here, we'll let him live."  
The other mermaids had a look of shock or surprise looking to their college before they relaxed as well, seemingly happy with the idea. I couldn't deny my interest in the deal. I was rather fond of this merman in my arms.   
"You don't have to do it." He suddenly whispered, only loud enough for me to hear. "Your body is making it. Not the magic you drank. If you refill enough magic for all of the merpeople, you'll lose your magic for good."  
It was a no brainer which one I'd rather have. I looked back up to the waiting mermaids and exhaled. "Show me where to do it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Why? Why was he giving up his magic for someone like me? I was so worthless, so pathetic and hated. The first human to ever obtain magic is giving it up in less than a day for me?  
I didn't get it at all!   
Izuru looked upon the magic container, the one I had cracked and released all the magic held inside. The large crack still ran up the glass, all the way to the top where it reached the ceiling.   
"Get on with it." One of the mermaids urged Izuru forward. As he swam closer, I quickly clung to his arm, keeping as far from the spears as possible.   
From the floor, it was nearly impossible to see the ceiling from here.   
The dark waters of the deep assured that. The room was usually much more lit than how it was now, thanks to candles around the room, which usually stayed on with, of course, magic.   
With it all gone, you had to strain your eyes to even see a few feet in front of you.   
The dark human pressed a hand against the glass, examining it carefully. He ran his fingers over the faucet where the magic would be dispensed before he suddenly turned to me.   
"How did you break it?" His voice was soft, but stern.   
"I lost control," I didn't want to admit it, but he had to know, didn't he? "Someone was trying to hurt me, and we got into a fight. I didn't mean to strike the glass, I promise!"  
I scanned his eyes for any hints of disgust towards me but those brilliant ruby eyes held nothing but understanding. "Self defense." He muttered and turned back to the glass.   
Izuru sighed and without warning, pulled me against him. It was so warm, so comforting. I wanted more of it, I wanted to be wrapped against him all the time. I felt his breath fall onto my back before he nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck.   
"What are you-" I started, but didn't have a chance to finish speaking before he entangled our fingers together.   
"Just keep control this time." He whispered so softly against my ear, my spine tingled. "We're going to use the magic together to repair this. I can't do it alone."  
"But I don't have any more magic-!" Despite my attempts to argue, he didn't respond. My chest suddenly felt warm, as though the sun was rising into my body. I couldn't help but relax into his hold and let him control what we did.   
From the corner of my eye, a calming blue light ran down Izuru's arm, momentarily pausing at his hand before my hand began glowing a shining green. It felt tingly to be sharing his magic. And then what came out was a wonderful beam of light, mixing the two colors.   
It hit the glass when he rose our hands towards it. I felt like my heart was going to burst at any moment, never before had I felt such incredible hope!  
The glass reflected the light, casting a rainbow all across the room and showing clearly that the glass was pulling together once more, the magic repairing it inch by inch.   
I felt exhausted once the glass was in one piece once more and I could hear Izuru was as well with his breathless exhale, but we weren't done, were we?   
This was... It was going to drain him completely.  
I didn't want to do it, but we were already so far. The magic began rising in the container. Slowly, but surely.   
The colors of green and blue started to cover our own bodies like a shell of our own spirit. That's what magic was, after all, a reflection of your inner self.   
This light, this was all from Izuru Kamukura. He may look dark, but I could see his heart through this, through the shine he was sending across my body.   
This was... Hope.   
If it was for his hope, I had to try!   
The glass was filling up faster, stealing the magic from him without quicker than he could use it.  
The shells protecting our bodies failed, and the color was starting to fade from the magic, reverting it to a blinding white.   
When the container filled with magic, all at once, the candles around the room sparkled to life and Izuru fell.   
I quickly turned around and caught him before he even touched the ground. Finally, I did something right at least.   
He was still awake, but too exhausted to keep swimming.   
The mermaid guards began clapping, almost in disbelief before one of them swam close and examined Izuru. "He'll be fine." She concluded quickly. "Just tired...I've never seen anything like that before. Take him to the chamber. We'll reward him for his efforts when he's had a good rest."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
How long had I been out of it? My body felt stiff, yet almost light.   
As I opened my eyes, my first instinct brought me to sit up and examine the room.   
It seemed to be the same room I awoke in last time. Red walls, with a rounded door. Glowing starfish around the room was the only source of light, but it seemed to be enough.   
This time, it seemed I was alone. A headache pounded against the back of my head, it felt like someone whacked me with a sledgehammer.   
It took me a moment, but it all started coming back to me, how I had given up my magic to save Komaeda from execution. I didn't think my process of doing it would actually work, yet somehow just holding him close gave me the drive to do what I had done.   
I didn't have much time to ponder with my own thoughts though, because the door opened, and in swam Komaeda himself, seemingly with a forced smile and something in his hands. The vial around his neck was once again full of magic and when we made eye contact, he opened his hand, revealing another.   
"The guards let me live thanks to you, I don't know how... How to thank you. They gave me this to give to you. You'll be able to return to a human if you want." As he swam up, his tailfin flicked, causing small air bubbles to follow for a moment or so.   
It didn't take long of me examining his face to see his sadness. I could only scoff.   
"I did what I wanted to. I said I would give up my magic and I did. I have no need for that. I made a promise to stay here and so I will."  
His olive orbs widened for a second before he offered out the vial quickly. "No, please, I'm not someone worth staying here for! Take this magic and go home, I'll say the shark got you or something. But... It's my fault you're here. Välj inte mig ovanför hem." [15]  
I pushed myself off the bed and didn't think much before gently holding his chin and raising his eyes to look at me. A small hue of pink peppered his pale skin, and his lips opened as though he were going to speak but no words left it.   
"Du är mitt hem." [16]   
Before he had a chance to speak, I backed him into the wall and entangled our tails before capturing another kiss.   
He didn't tense up, in fact, I could feel him melt against me.   
This was... Nice.   
I belonged here more than I ever belonged on land. I could only wonder what excuses that fisherman would make to cover my vanishing. Nobody on land would ever find me here, perhaps this was my true freedom.   
I can't speak on it. Emotions still felt foreign to me. Did I truly care about freedom?  
Komaeda's arms wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me closer.  
He was different than all the students I had met above the waters.   
I reached behind me, carefully pulling the vial of magic from his hands and tossing it aside. I won't be needing such magic.

**Author's Note:**

> [1] Sjöjungfru: Mermaid
> 
> [2] Mänsklig: Human
> 
> [3] Svans: Tail
> 
> [4] Gör du: Do you
> 
> [5] Du vill veta mitt namn: You want to know my name
> 
> [6] Mannen förstår: The man understands
> 
> [7] Inte ens av döden: Not even of death
> 
> [8] Jag måste bara skydda det: I just have to protect it
> 
> [9] Förlorare: Loser
> 
> [10] Fara: Danger
> 
> [11] En blomma: A flower
> 
> [12] Vi har inget val: We have no choice
> 
> [13] Han har det sista av det: He has the last of it  
[14] Och vad med den andra: And what about the other one  
[15] Välj inte mig ovanför hem: Don't pick me above home
> 
> [16] Du är mitt hem: You're my home


End file.
